


shaky hands

by rocket_rach



Series: Whumptober 2019 [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Bleeding, Hurt/Comfort, Mild Angst, Whumptober 2019, day one - shaky hands, just one worried butler using thomas waynes medical tools to save his son
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-02
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-11-10 15:01:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20853698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rocket_rach/pseuds/rocket_rach
Summary: whumptober day 1 - shaky handsAlfred's found Bruce bleeding out in the study.





	shaky hands

This wasn’t how Alfred Pennyworth imagined the return of Bruce Wayne. He never pictured this particular scene, with the young master bleeding in his father’s study, surrounded by shattered glass and breathing hard. From the pool of blood at his feet, he’d been sitting in here for a while. A small part of the family butler’s mind growled at the thought of how long it would take to clean the oriental rug beneath Bruce’s socked feet as he attended to him, gauging the depth and severity of his wounds.

“Master Bruce?” He asked when Bruce’s mumbling died down.

“Yes, father, I shall become a bat.”

“Ah, delirious then, I see. Come now, Master Bruce. I’ll need to stitch you up,” He held his hand out, intending to help Bruce into the kitchen.

Bruce didn’t move. Alfred’s brow furrowed as he took Bruce’s hand. What on earth had happened to the young man tonight to leave him in such a state, Alfred wondered. His mind flew over the events of the evening, parsing every interaction he’d had with the young man. Bruce had mentioned going out. Alfred had assumed it was going to be the usual evening of liquor and ladies, but unless he’d picked some rather unsavory liquor tonight, that would not be the case. He hurried back to his chambers, grabbing Thomas Wayne’s doctor bag with shaky hands. Whatever had driven his boy… his charge, he corrected as he nearly sprinted back to the study, he’d find the cause. He’d find it, and stomp it out before it drove Bruce away again.

Bruce was barely conscious by the time Alfred returned. Formality being thrown to the side for now, Alfred slapped his face.

“You need to wake up, Master Bruce. You’ve haven’t annoyed me near as much as your parents did in their twenties, and I’ll not lose this opportunity to be pestered by next generation of Waynes.”

“…Parents?” Bruce asked.

“Yes sir, your parents were quite the pests. Although, they never returned from a night out quite as badly as you have tonight. What happened, young sir?”

“’m not little anymore,” Bruce grumbled.

“You’re wearing some sort of childish costume with a bat emblazoned on it, you’re bleeding in the study for some inexplicable reason, and you’re refusing to tell me what happened. Now tell me, Bruce, _what happened?”_

“I – I think I’m starting something that’s going to save the city or kill me.”

Alfred pulled Bruce’s shirt off. After years of practicing his stiff upper lip, it took all he had to restrain his hiss of anger at the dripping wound in Bruce’s side. He swiped the wound with antibacterial cleaner, then set to work stitching the wound closed. Ideally, he would have preferred call Leslie Thompkins, but it was late and he still had no explanation for these wounds.

“Master Bruce,” Alfred murmured as he finished the stitch. “I’ve already buried enough Waynes. I beg of you, whatever this is, allow me to help keep you safe.”

Bruce’s steel blue eyes were half-lidded as he watched Alfred. The butler wished he could have divined what had happened to him through that gaze alone. But for now, he was content in the fact that Bruce was alive. Details would come later. As he closed Thomas Wayne’s medical bag, he had a feeling he’d be needing more than what the young master’s father had left in the leather kit.

**Author's Note:**

> am i doing one writing month as a warm up for nano? you betcha.
> 
> writing tumblr: fooliganmusing.tumblr.com


End file.
